Sweet Accusations
by AmiliaPadfoot
Summary: The Potter kids are running late and going into 'just one more shop' finds Lily being falsely accused. Lily soon learns that her family will always have her back.  Just a small one-shot.


**Sweet Accusations**

**By: Amilia Padfoot**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this Fic only the idea for the story.**_

_**Summary: The Potter kids are running late and going into 'just one more shop' finds Lily being falsely accused. Lily soon learns that her family will always have her back. Just a small one-shot.**_

_**A/N: Heya! I'm bored, very bored and stressed. I need a break from bio and year seven open evening preparations' and all that other crazy stuff I get up to in collage. Anyway you don't want to hear about that stuff, but before you go merrily skipping onto the story said story is for someone, who I'm so sorry that I can't remember the name of but in fairness it was a long time ago that you suggested I write this, and well I have. So if you can get in touch and let me know what you think even if no-body else likes this it will be worth it. **_

_**Literally written just now, this has not been beted, who knows if it will be, call me unprofessional if you will (I might even agree) but like I said I'm bored, and stressed so up it goes.**_

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><p>"James come <em>on<em>." Albus tugged at James's arm as his elder brother made to go into yet another shop in the bustling street of Diagon alley. Albus paused as a determined mother dragged her two screaming kid's past them.

"Dad told us to meet him by the junk shop at _five_!" Albus shoved his watch, clearly showing how late they were, in his brother's face. James however just batted him away impatiently as if he was nothing more than an annoying fly.

"Alright _aright_. Just one more shop." James climbed up the steps up to _Conrad's confectioneries_, rolling his eyes as Albus tried yet again to convince him otherwise.

"But-"

"Look I don't see Lily complaining," James finally snapped waving his hand at their little sister who was clutching Albus's hand, smiling happily, her little pockets bulging with sweets. Lily snapped out of whatever daydream she had been submerged in to finally take notice of her bickering brothers.

"Dad _did_ say five, James," Albus shot James a smug look at that but it was soon wiped off his face as she continued gently "-but I don't think he'll be mad if we're a bit late Al." James smirked triumphantly at his brother.

"See what you did Al, you made Lily the middle child," James teased. He might not always get on with his brother but that didn't mean he enjoyed the tension between them that their bickering created.

"Shut up James, are we going in this shop or what?" Albus replied snappily folding his arms over his chest. Lily and James shared a quick concerned look wondering what his problem was. James finally shrugged putting it down to his brother just not liking to be late or not wanting their dad being to be mad at them. _Not that he will be_, James told himself. He'd more likely be worried. And with that in mind he quickened his pace and flung open the door making the bell above it to ring shrilly. Ignoring the sound he dived straight for the Fizzing whizbes. Albus rolled his eyes at his brother's back and lent against a wall moodily.

He'd never really liked this shop. He didn't know why exactly. But for a sweet shop, despite the brightly colored walls, the warm and inviting decoration or the tempting items on display, the place just didn't seem very friendly. It was very quiet, him and his siblings being the only customers. The only other person in the shop was a lean man leaning on the counter at the far end of the shop looking irritated, as if their mere presence was hard to tolerate.

He had straggly brown hair that stuck to his pale face, his mouth set unsmiling in a thin line. Narrow unfriendly eyes looked down on him, peering out of a pair of dusty spectacles. Albus suddenly felt self-conscious of his own glasses and resisted taking them off just to clean them vigorously. The man's eyes shifted from Albus to Lily then James and then, as if assured nothing was a-miss, began to sort out some cobweb cloaked jars on the wall behind him. Cockroach clusters wriggled within the jars as they were rearranged and Albus suppressed a shudder. The man looked like someone that would be very out of place in a jaunty cheerful sweet shop but somehow seemed as if he was as part of the shop as books were in a library.

The shop owner, once sure the jars were completely aligned on the shelf, lent back against the counter once more and began to pick at his filthy fingernails. Albus resisted the mad urge to pull lily away from the sweets as she picked up a lollipop She held it up and inspected it as if she was a muggle shop assistant checking if a tenner was fake or not. Satisfied, she turned to looks for James, more than likely to beg him to buy it for her. Albus couldn't help a smile knowing James would give in after a single look at her big round brown eyes and turned to also seek his brother out, who was busy adding Peppermint Toads to his growing pile of sweets.

James reached for another jar this time going for fudge flies but as he did so the jar slipped in his grip. Thankfully he managed to catch it before it shattered on the floor. James sent the shop keeper a sheepish smile unfazed by the glare he received in return.

Albus shook his head at his brother in exasperation, though slightly amused all the same, as Lily stifled a giggle. The disgruntled looking man shifted his glare to Lily making Albus's initial dislike for him increase with every passing second. The owner did nothing to improve his ire as he muttered under his breath about clumsy nuisances of children. Albus appeared to be the only one that heard though with James getting his stash together and Lily deep in thought.

He wondered why Lily would want lollies when she had already got some in _Sugarlum's Sweet Shop_ on the other side of the alley. As if also remembering this Lily brought out a lolly from her pocket, then one from the shelf and compared to two. Satisfied she put her lolly back in her pocket as Albus watched her smiling.

Albus deciding he might as well get something too made to move but caught a glimpse of the clock hanging on the wall and jumped. An image of his dad pacing up and down outside the junk shop, getting more and more panicked, pushed itself into his mind and he quickly went over to Lily and took her arm.

"Come on guys, got to go!"

"What? But I haven't bought anything yet!" James complained dropping some Ice mice on the floor.

"Stay if you want, we're leaving!" Albus retorted and began to pull Lily out the shop only to be stopped buy a wheezy sounding voice that didn't seem to match up with the angry tone behind it.

"Not so fast!"

Albus wheeled around to see the shop keeper marching over to them. "Um excuse me sir, is there a problem?" he forced himself to be as polite as possible, trying to not let his annoyance seep through.

"Yes there is!" The man glowered, towering over them. He reached out and yanked Lily out of her brother's grip. "You think I'm stupid child?" Lily looked up at him wide eyed and tried to pull away.

"Get your hands off her!" James roared dropping all his sweets without a care.

"I haven't done anything!" Lily protested. The man just scoffed.

"That's all kid say these days_. I haven't done anything,_" he mimicked. "You were stealing!"

"I wasn't!" Lily cried and James took several steeps forward.

"She hasn't done anything you idiot now let go of her!"

"She has stolen from my shop, and don't raise your voice at me. Have you no manners, no respect? Your parents obviously haven't done a good enough job."

"Don't you dare insult our parents!" Albus was shaking with rage by this point. This man obviously didn't have a clue about raising children and he pitied any child related to him in any way.

"Quiet child!" The man snapped nastily and Lily began to tear up, obviously scared and confused by all the yelling. The man was still holding her tightly and the tears came thicker. James lunged at the man and pulled on his arm hard. The keeper instantly released his grip on Lily and turned on James furiously only to be flung in the air and back into the counter with a loud crack.

There was a silence as Albus and Lily, who had even stopped crying, turned to gape at the man now sprawled on the floor. A cold icy voice ringing with a suppressed rage broke into the air making them jump.

"What the hell is going on?"

A man stood in the doorway griping his wand by his side. Albus would have thought he was quite calm if he had not glanced at the deadly look upon his scared face, or the glint of fury flickering inside emerald eyes. Jet black hair stood out at all angles as if he had been shocked, which was not entirely unbelievable as the man seemed to crackle with a kind of electricity.

The shopkeeper quickly got his bearings together and got up looking equally, if that were possible, as furious.

"How dare you! Who do you think you are? Coming in here and using magic on me?"

"Who am I?" it was barley a whisper but the taller man seemed to shiver at the deadly tone lasing the words "Who am _I? _I'll tell you who I am." He took a step forward so he was standing inside the shop "I'm a very _very_ angry father."

Albus couldn't help but smirk as the shopkeeper gulped and backed into the counter.

"Daddy," Lily murmured relief shining in her eyes. Harry's face softened in an instant and he dropped down on to his knees and pulled her into an embrace.

"Lily, shh Lily-pad it's alright. I'm here," he comforted, pulling her back slightly so he could look at her. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" His eyes swept over her looking for injures even as she shook her head.

"I'm alright," she announced bravely and he smiled warmly at her. Albus wasn't surprised by how quickly Lily could completely melt his dad's icy mien but the shopkeeper seemed perplexed by how quickly the sudden change in mood of the man who had attacked him. He seemed to relax as he watched said man interact with his kids. This man was no killer.

"Good. Al? James?" Harry looked at them both in turn, subconsciously scanning them as well. Receiving a nod from both his son's his eyes lingered a little longer on James. "What's going on?"

James launched into a story, explaining how they had come into the shop and Albus and Lily had been trying to leave,

"And he just grabbed her and started yelling at her," anger rang clearly in his voice towards the end. Harry stood up to his full height, which admittedly wasn't much, but the shopkeeper shrunk back at the look of cold furry.

"Is that true?" he demanded not waiting for a reply "Why? What gives you the right to yell at her?" plucking up his courage the store owner yelled back pointing an accusing finger at Lily.

"She was stealing from my shop!" Harry stared at the owner for a second wondering if he should laugh or not. Lily? His sweet Lilly? _Stealing_? Why would she?

"As if she would. She's only nine for crying out loud!"

"I saw her! Caught her red handed I did!" He seemed quite proud as if he should be congratulated on his fine work.

"Oh yea? And what, may I ask, was my daughter stealing?"

"A Lollipop. It's in her pocket."

"A lolly," he repeated quietly. "A _lolly_?" he asked incredulously his voice rising, "This is over a lolly?!"

"Ah well you see first its lollies then its bigger things. You have to stop 'em well their young before they get out of control," the shop keeper told him as if he was wise to the ways of felonious children.

"She's a child! Not a bloody criminal."

"Look, it's not my fault you haven't disciplined them properly," the owner snapped as if growing exasperated with Harry's lack of understanding. "She was stealing my merchandise," he continued, oblivious to how the man in front of him looked as though he wanted nothing more than to strangle him.

"I didn't dad honest," Lily cut in panicked.

"I know Lily. I believe you," her dad told her calmly. Lily tuned to the shopkeeper beseechingly,

"The lolly is mine mister. Albus got it for me." Before the owner could reply however Harry asked her gently,

"Can I see it?" he held out his hand and she retrieved the bright red lolly from her pocket. Ignoring the owner's triumphant look he looked at the lolly then turned to said owner,

"Are you illiterate?"

"What?" he choked out caught off guard by the question.

"Can you read?" Harry snapped irritably.

"Of course I can," the owner spluttered indignantly, puffing his chest out.

"Read this then," Harry pushed the lolly-pop into the other man's hand who looked down on it like he had never seen such a thing before.

"What?" he blurted again.

"Read it."

"Look you can't come in here and tell me what to do-" he protested but Harry shouted,

"Read the damn Lolly!" The man jumped then thinking he better do as asked quickly read the wrapper covering the sweet.

"I have," he announced holing out the Lolly.

"_Aloud,"_ Harry snarled. The man gulped hard and did so.

"_Sugarlump's_" He quickly gave the lolly back as if scared it would burn him.

"Is your shop called Sugarlum's?" Albus hid a snort of laughter as he caught James's eyes both knowing what was going on easily imagining their dad being in court.

"Well no but-"

"Have you permission from the owner of Sugarlum's Sweet Shop to sell their produce on your premises?"

"No but-"

"Then why are you selling this? I could have you arrested for that you know," Fear shone in the owners eyes. Sweat had begun to glisten on his forehead. He blurted desperately,

"I don't sell them! It's not mine."

"If it's not yours them how could she have stolen it from you?" The man gaped at Harry then glancing at the smirks on both boys' faces and kicked him-self mentally.

"Well?" Harry pressed him for an answer. He didn't reply.

"I think you owe my daughter an apology." The shop keeper looked like he'd rather run the street naked than comply but managed to mutter out a hoarse sounding sorry at Lily, who took back her Lolly.

"It's okay mister. We all make mistakes," Lily replied politely showing her toothy grin and Harry flashed her proud smile before glaring at the owner once more.

"You're lucky my daughter is so forgiving. You better wish she gets it from me because if you ever _ever_ try to lay a finger on any of my kids, or any child for that matter, I will personally make sure you never see the light of day again. Understand?" The shopkeeper gave a weak nod, trying not to let a whimper pass his thin lips. "Good day to you," Harry told him curtly, and with a final glare ushered his kids out off the shop.

"Do you have any idea how late you are?" he accused once out the shop, holing Lily's hand tightly in his.

"I did try to tell them!" Albus protested and James rolled his eyes knowing that their dad wasn't really mad. At them anyway.

"I don't like him very much," Lily piped up randomly in a dreamy voice she had gotten from her godmother Luna. Harry scowled trying to stop himself form going back into the shop and showing the shopkeeper just how much he agreed with her. "He's scary," she continued. Harry pulled her into his side, wrapping an arm round her.

"Not as scary as dad though," James interjected before putting on a near perfect imitation of their dad, "_Read the damn Lolly!"_ making Albus and Lily snicker. Harry rolled his eyes much like his son had done earlier choosing to ignore the comment.

"That was good of you though Lily. I'm proud of you," Lily grinned, her cheeks flushed with a happy glow at the words. "And you two, sticking up for your sister."

"Ah well she may be an annoying midget most the time-" James began teasingly.

"Hey!" Lily shouted.

"-But she's still our sister," he continued and Lily spared him a grateful smile.

"Yea and no one should be treating kids like that," Albus seethed angrily to himself.

"I wonder if the rest of our family knows about the wonderful services," Harry mused aloud a smirk now playing on his face.

For the thing with a big family is once you've told your wife something who told her five brothers who told their wives and children who told their friends who told _their_ families the shopkeeper of _Conrad's Confectioneries _soon regretted the day those pesky Potters ever came into his shop, as some days later he turned the 'open' sign around for the very last time.

Lily watched the man leave, kicking the door heatedly before he went. She sighed and smiled to her-self thinking that the other thing about her big family was that they always had her back.

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><p><strong>Please review. Tell me if there is anything wrong, or nothing. Might take it down if I don't feel it is good enough. Anyway have a nice day, or afternoon, or whatever time it is for you now I hope it's nice.<strong>


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